OSOGBO, NIGERIA — The Independent National Electoral Commission has declared Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party as the winner of Saturday’s Osun State governorship election, securing him a second term in office.
Adeleke polled a total of 534,066 votes to defeat his closest rival, Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress, who garnered 492,425 votes. Najeem Salaam of the African Democratic Congress came third with 21,604 votes.
The returning officer, Professor Oluwole Abiodun, made the declaration at the INEC collation centre in Osogbo on Sunday afternoon, confirming that Adeleke had satisfied all legal requirements and won the highest number of valid votes cast.
“This afternoon, I have been asked to announce the results of the election held on the 15th of August 2026. The candidate of the Accord Party, Ademola Adeleke, scored 534,066. The candidate of the APC, Bola Oyebamiji, scored 492,425,” Abiodun declared, adding that Adeleke’s victory was “earned and well-deserved.”
In his acceptance speech, Governor Adeleke dedicated the victory to the people of Osun State, describing it as a triumph for democracy and a mandate to continue his development agenda.
“Today, the people of Osun have spoken loud and clear. They have chosen progress over regression,” Adeleke said in a victory address. “It is a vote of confidence in our collective vision for a more prosperous Osun.”
APC leaders in the state refused to immediately concede defeat. Oyebamiji and the APC chairman in Osun, Sooko Tajudeen Lawal, reportedly boycotted the final declaration, claiming that the party’s agents were initially denied access to the collation process. However, INEC officials said the election was conducted in accordance with the Electoral Act and that the process was transparent.
Celebrations erupted across Osogbo and other parts of the state following the announcement, with supporters of the Accord Party pouring into the streets in jubilation. The reelection of Adeleke cements his family’s political influence in the state, following the legacy of his late brother, Senator Isiaka Adeleke.
INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu had earlier urged all political parties to refrain from declaring parallel results, stressing that the commission remained committed to the integrity of the electoral process. He also confirmed that the Osun poll was among the most closely monitored elections in recent years, with heightened scrutiny from civil society and international observers.
This victory secures Adeleke’s position as the Executive Governor of Osun State for another four years, ensuring continuity in his administration’s policies and programmes.
